The New Jersey Small Business Summit recently announced the lineup of speakers and workshops for its upcoming expo-style event at Montclair State University, where hundreds of participants will gather to explore forward-thinking ideas and growth strategies.
The event, organized by the Montclair’s Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation, takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at University Hall. It will feature extensive networking opportunities, workshops, panel discussions, live pitches, 1:1 consults with bank experts, and complementary headshots by Nev Photography.
To register to attend the 2026 New Jersey Small Business Summit, go here. Program highlights include:
Workshops
- Building Your Moat, with growth strategy consultant Jimmy Newson, founder & CEO of Moving Forward Small Business. Newson will discuss strategies that can protect your business in a market when competitors can copy your product, undercut your price, or outmarket you overnight.
- Customer Obsession: A Daily Practice, with Myra Deshmukh, founder & CEO of Leadership Lab. Deshmukh will show small business owners practical ways to gather and act on customer feedback, anticipate needs, and build trust and loyalty through everyday interactions.
Panels Discussions
- Future-proof Your Business (for an unpredictable future), featuring panelists MJ Durkin (COO of TechUnited:NJ), Kima D'Anjou (Founder & Chief Strategy Consultant, The Keenly Group), and Kelly Brozyna (CEO & State Director, NJ-SBDC).
- Leading Across Generations: Turning Differences into Strengths, featuring panelists Dr. Jodie Thorz Dawson (co-founder and owner, Java Love Roasters), Kristine Petrik (co-founder & operations manager, Java Love Roasters), Patty Caballero (founder and principal, PSC Consulting).
Live Pitch Forum
- Sauté My Business, featuring emcee Nathan Minns. Three local small business owners from the Ignite Entrepreneurs community take the stage to present their early-stage ventures and get real, unfiltered feedback on the spot from a panel of judges. This part-pitch, part reality-check forum gives entrepreneurs the chance to stress-test their business in front of an audience and helps attendees learn how to handle the hot seat.
Live Demos
There will also be live demos of apps to optimize productivity, including how small businesses can build their own proprietary apps.
1:1 Consultations
M+T Bank experts will provide complementary 1:1 consulting to small business owners on:
- Access to Capital
- Credit Repair / Financial Literacy
- Business Planning
- Budgeting
- HR/Hiring
- Sales Strategy: Marketing/Social Media and Leveraging AI
For more information about the 2026 New Jersey Small Business Summit, go here.
